Gossip Girl star Blake Lively looked every inch the glowing beauty at the recent Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 premiere. I especially adored how her trademark long blonde locks were done in loose waves with little braids tucked in here and there. To recreate her look, I turned to expert hairstylist Jet Rhys. Jet is the owner of Jet Rhys Salons in San Diego and was more than happy to take some time out of her busy day to share her tips with us. “Blake has stepped out of the box with this fun, flirty look,” she says. “And it’s so easy to do!” Read on for her step-by-step instructions and product recommendations…
TOOLS YOU’LL NEED:
Bumble and bumble Hair Powder in your hair color
Small elastic hair ties (Don’t use regular-sized ones, as they will weigh the braids down.)
Hot rollers (or a curling iron, but Jet recommends hot rollers when pressed for time)
Pocket-sized pack of tissues
A soft hold hairspray (Jet recommends Bumble and bumble Spray de Mode for soft hold and shine)
2-3 bobby pins, preferably in your hair shade
DIRECTIONS:
1. Don’t shampoo right before styling! To get the separation that’s in Blake’s hair, Jet recommends waiting a day or two after shampooing. “The hair has a bit more grip then,” she says.
2. Spray your hair generously with the Bb. Hair Powder, which will give your hair extra body and fullness.
3. Take a 3-inch section of your hair and lift it straight up, spraying the section with hairspray. Take a hot roller and place your hair on it. Then, take a tissue and lay it over the section, wind down on the roller, and clamp. “The tissue helps to keep all your ends together, making rolling a snap,” says Jet.
4. Move onto the next section of your hair and repeat the process until done. Spray all the rollers with Spray de Mode and let it sit for 30 minutes.
5. Take out the rollers after 30 minutes, and give your head a shake. Before tousling or spraying your hair, take a 1-inch piece of your hair and start braiding right near the crown. Fasten with an elastic when you reach the tips of your hair.
6. Take another 1-inch section right behind your hairline and braid until you reach the bottom of your hair. Fasten again with an elastic. Repeat if you’d like another braid.
7. Tuck the braids underneath the rest of your hair with the bobby pins.
8. Scrunch up the ends of your hair with your fingers to enhance separation, and lightly spray all over with the Spray de Mode.